NHTSA Complaint #10733316 — 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN

ON 6/21/15, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT APPROXIMATELY 75MPH. I WAS NOT ACCELERATING, NOR HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS OR BRAKE PETAL. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE GAS PETAL PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING QUICKLY. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON MY HAZARDS AND TURNED OFF THE CRUISE, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN EXCESS OF 100MPH. I FEARED COLLIDING WITH OTHER DRIVERS ON THE TWO-LANED HIGHWAY, AND BEGAN BRAKING AGAINST THE CAR'S ACCELERATION, WHICH WAS QUITE DIFFICULT. I PUSHED THE BRAKE PETAL DOWN AS HARD AS I COULD, WHICH STOPPED FURTHER ACCELERATION; BUT DID NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO REV UP AND TRIED RELENTLESSLY TO ACCELERATE AGAINST MY BEST EFFORTS TO BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE GRAVEL SHOULDER. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO AROUND 20MPH, I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND COASTED TO A STOP. THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF SMOKE FROM THE BRAKES. I BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO A CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION OR A RELATED SENSOR. I DISCONTINUED USING THE CRUISE AT ANY TIME. HOWEVER, ON 7/9/15, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THIS TIME, THE CRUISE WAS NOT SET, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR ON A THREE LANE FREEWAY. THE SAME STEPS NOTED ABOVE SLOWED THE VEHICLE AFTER IT BEGAN ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE SURROUNDING VEHICLES. THE GAS PETAL WAS AGAIN STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND COULD NOT BE PULLED UP. AFTER THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, THERE IS LIKELY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BRAKES AND/OR ENGINE. I CONTACTED A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP, THAT PLANS TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE VW SALES MANAGER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION AND BE SURE TO TURN THE KEY TO "OFF" OR "ACCESSORY" SHOULD THE PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN.